HYDERABAD: Warangal East MLA Konda Surekha issued a threat to TRS leadership on Saturday that she would quit the party if the TRS did not give her Assembly ticket in 24 hours time. Surekha’s name did not figure in the TRS’ first list of 105 Assembly candidates. Hence, she has now set a deadline for the TRS leadership.“If the TRS leadership fails to respond within 24 hours, I will announce my decision. I will write an open letter too,” Surekha declared here on Saturday. She is expected to return to Congress, if the TRS does not give Assembly ticket.
Speaking to reporters, Surekha said: “It pained me that my name did not figure in the first list of TRS candidates. Denying ticket to me in the first list means insulting all Backward Class women”. She also protested against denial of TRS tickets to B Shobha and Babu Mohan.
She recalled that she won with a huge majority in 2014 from Warangal East seat. “I wanted TRS ticket for Parakal seat, but TRS leadership wanted me to contest from Warangal East, as I was able to defeat Basavaraju Saraiah of Congress. I have contested unwillingly from Warangal East,” Surekha said.
She recalled that her family made sure that the TRS won in MP, MLC and Warangal corporation elections.
“We never spoke against the party leadership till date. There is no representation in the Cabinet for women. Though the TRS promised to give a Cabinet berth they did not fulfil it. Yet, I have continued to be in the party for the sake of development,” Surekha said. She alleged that though she worked hard for the party, she did not derive any profit from the party.
Surekha alleged that the party leadership did not inform about the entry of E Dayakar Rao, Gundu Sudharani and Basvaraju Saraiah into the TRS. “Why is the TRS leadership according priority to Dayakar Rao? Is there any guarantee that the TRS will give B-forms to all the 105 candidates, whose names were announced recently?” Surekha asked.
Call from KTR
Surekha said that IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao telephoned her two days ago and informed that the TRS could not give Bhupalpally ticket and offered Parakal seat. “Rama Rao asked whether I would contest from Parakal or my daughter will contest. I told Rama Rao that we will discuss within our family and get back to him.
But, now the TRS leaders are making false allegations that my family sought two Assembly tickets. I said it is okay if TRS gives Parakal ticket to me,” Surekha explained. She alleged that their phones were being tapped. “My family members will contest from Warangal East, Parakal and Bhupalpally seats. Do you have any objection?” Surekha asked the TRS leaders. Surekha claimed that she had a large following not only in Warangal but across the state.
TRS’ counter
However, TRS leader D Vinay Bhaskar alleged that Surekha had a secret agreement with PCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy. He said that TRS gave political life to Surekha.
Frontrunners
TRS women’s wing chief Gundu Sudharani is said to be the frontrunner for the ticket, along with other aspirants such as Warangal Mayor N Narender, former minister Basvaraj Saraiah and Palakurthy MLA Erabelli Dayakar Rao’s younger brother Erabelli Pradeep Rao.